1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus and method for recording images from a source onto image sensitive sheet material, and more particularly, to apparatus and method of the type stated which enables image recordation on photosensitive sheet material utilitizing automatic loading and unloading of the photosensitive sheet material.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Recording of an image or series of images generated on a television screen or similar cathode ray tube, or other image generating source, onto an image sensitive material enables the making of a permanent record of that image. This permanent record also allows a further study or examination of that particular image or series of images which would not otherwise be available if one had to study the image or images in the particular time frame allowed by the screen of a cathode ray tube.
Apparatus of this type are highly effective in studying the images derived from medical instrumentation. This is particularly true where the images are not derived from electrically generated signals and therefore, not adapted for electronic storage in computer memories or the like. Furthermore, the recordation of television or similar images on to an image sensitive material enables permanent documentation in a form which is readily visible and accessible.
Many medical instrumentation processes as, for example, ultrasonic image generation, computed axial tomography, fluoroscopic analysis, electrocardiokymographic imaging, etc. all generate signals which are capable of being displayed on a cathode ray tube. Use of the television image recording apparatus to produce a hard copy which is readily visible and permanent enables examination of discrete processes which may be taking place and which would not be otherwise observable on a cathode ray tube.
There have been several television image recording apparatus and methods which are adapted to produce a photographic recording of an image on a cathode ray tube screen. Exemplary of this type of apparatus is U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,281 to Gall et al which teaches of a plurality of lens supports which are individually shiftable into and out of a plane in which image recording is to be conducted. An image from a television screen is projected onto a mirror and through the lenses of one of the individual lens supports, moved into a photographic position, and then onto an image sensitive material. By moving one of the individual lens supports out of the photographic position and moving another of the lens supports carrying different lenses into the photographic position, correct photographic distances are achieved relative to the lens, television monitor and the image sensitive material.
The Gall et al system is quite complex and requires invidual lens supports for shifting individual lenses. In view of the fact that the lenses are oftentimes high quality, high performance lenses, they can be quite expensive which generally increases the overall cost of the apparatus. Moreover, apparatus of this type require expensive lens support drives and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,218 to Byer also discloses a television image recording apparatus which utilizes a vacuum printer disposed in relationship to a mirror and display tube. The photographic material is moved from a source onto a printing platen and a vacuum is applied to the platen during the image recording process. After exposure, the photographic material is then moved through a toner mechanism and subsequently into a fuser and developer station.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,312 to Florsheim, Jr. et al discloses a photographic apparatus utilizing a moveable vacuum plate. an image sensitive material is moved from a cassette into a position where it is engaged by the vacuum plate when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum plate. Thereafter, the vacuum plate is turned to a position where the sheet will receive an exposure to the image presented on a television camera. Thereafter, the reverse of this process takes place for returning the exposed image sensitive material to the cassette. The sheet material is moved without any contact with the emulsion. The Florsheim, Jr. et al Patent also discloses the use of a lens-mirror arrangement for projecting the image onto the image sensitive material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,053 to Friday discloses a pneumatic suction device for holding a paper or film in a desired position in an image transfer system. Image transfer, in this case, involves the use of electrostatic image transfer mechanisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,452 to Conrad et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,936 to Stone, Jr. et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,575 to Soule et al also disclose similar types of apparatus in which images can be recorded onto an image sensitive material.
In each of the prior art apparatus for recording television and similar cathode ray tube images, these apparatus were quite large and did not have the facilities of automatic film sheet movement by means of a relatively simple sheet movement mechanism which is small and compact. More specifically, these prior art apparatus did not include a mechanism for automatically loading a sheet from a source onto a film plane, and automatically removing the sheet from the film plane after exposure, without any significant contact with the image sensitive emulsion of the sheet. Moreover, these prior art image recording apparatus did not have the facility of detecting the presence of an unexposed film sheet in a photographic position and its proper orientation for a desired number of images to be recorded thereon, or whether a proper sized sheet was present.